Microsoft no longer sees Cortana as an Alexa or Google Assistant competitorSatya Nadella wants Cortana to be an app thats everywhere 
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Microsofts Cortana digital assistant has fallen behind Google Assistant and Alexa over the past year, and now the software maker is taking a different approach to the competition. Speaking to journalists at a media event earlier this week, attended by The Verge, CEO Satya Nadella revealed that Microsoft no longer sees Cortana as a competitor to Alexa or Google Assistant. Cortana needs to be that skill for anybody whos a Microsoft 365 subscriber, explains Nadella, referencing Microsofts new consumer subscription push. You should be able to use it on Google Assistant, you should be able to use it on Alexa, just like how you use our apps on Android and iOS so thats at least how we want to think about where itll go. Microsoft has already partnered with Amazon to enable Cortana and Alexa integration, and at the launch of the partnership Nadella compared digital assistants to web browsers that need to be interoperable and access similar information. Its now clear that Nadella sees Cortana as an app or service that will work across multiple platforms, rather than Microsoft competing in Cortana hardware for consumers. Microsoft will still need to convince Google that Cortana integration is a good idea. Microsoft appears to be out of the smart speaker gameInstead of competing with Alexa, Nadella admits that there was a challenge of creating hardware and software thats unique to compete. Microsoft chose to make Cortana a valuable skill that somebody who is using Alexa can call, instead of competing in smart speakers, and thats probably why we havent seen many Cortana speakers. Well still likely see Cortana appear in hardware like Surface Headphones in the future, though. Microsoft moved Cortana out of its AI research division and into its Experiences and Devices team late last year, signaling Nadellas focus on Cortana being an assistant across multiple products and platforms. The move coincided with the departure of Microsofts Cortana chief, and capped a difficult year for the digital assistant. Microsoft has made Skype calling available on Alexa, though, and the Xbox One also now supports Alexa. Microsoft is now in the middle of re-positioning Cortana on Windows 10, including separating it from search and silencing the digital assistant during setup. |
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Comments
I think thats the right approach. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant pretty much own the digital assistant marketshare (sorry Siri), given mobile and home speakers are the fighting field. Microsoft OTOH is an established forced in business and work-related stuff, so designing Cortana as the connecting element between consumer-driven assistants and Microsoft365 environment could provide a much needed integration. Well have to see though how effective and well thought the integration is.
By RadioGaGa on 01.18.19 5:58am
Apple could have pushed Siri, at least for iPhone/Mac/iPad customers, had they not released a $350 and neglected HomeKit to the point where Amazon and Google have passed HomeKits functionality. At least Apple is finally opening up their services.
By P_Devil on 01.18.19 11:05am
Apples Siri is closed and only allows SiriKit to extend Siris capabilities. This means you can only extend Siris capabilities via an iOS app. Where as all the others allow their respective AI platforms to be extended via the back end or server side. Its why you see $25 smart speakers. That can do so much more than Siri could ever dream of doing, and why you will NEVER see an inexpensive Siri enabled smart speaker. If Apple doesnt open up Siri on the server side, then Siri will NEVER make it in the business sector, period.
I will bet money on that one.
By sgodsell on 01.18.19 12:15pm
Theyre a bit late to the realization i doubt anybody thought of Cortana as much of a competitor to Google Assistant or Alexa.
By samayg on 01.18.19 6:09am
well, back when they had a mobile platform it made sense to have an assistant, but now its kind of pointless
By filipemmd on 01.18.19 6:27am
Having a mobile platform is irrelevant. Amazon proved this with Alexa. Google Assistant is gaining popularity the same waysmart speakers.
By astroWZRD on 01.18.19 7:16am
Well, Alexa has speakers to run on.
Cortana doesnt have anything. And no, not gonna use my laptop for an assistant.
By splus on 01.18.19 8:44am
Between computers and Xbox, thats a lot of devices.
By BausFight on 01.18.19 9:01am
They had that nice Harman Kardon Invoke speaker, but little else on the speaker front that Im aware of.
Wonder if this and the Alexa < Cortana announcement means the Invoke will be updated to leverage Alexa instead. Seems the GLAS thermostat already added Alexa/Google Assistant capability, per their Amazon listing.
By whlr on 01.18.19 11:02am
The HK Invoke is a nice little unit. Sounds good if one turns it up a bit.
I have one sitting next to a rotating selection of Google Assistant boxes (my Lenovo Smart Display 8" suffered from whats unfortunately become a thing in failing audio hardware). I have that ungainly LG unit, which isnt pretty, but is stereo(!), sitting in a box waiting to take its place.
Cortana actually answers queries at least as well as Google Assistant. Too bad Microsoft didnt see fit to make a bigger push with it outside of PCs, where no one seems to want it.
By eelpout on 01.18.19 2:15pm
I hooked up a Yeti microphone to my bootcamped MBP, but to be honest, the only things I really do with it is launch games with voice. Cool and all, but nothing a couple clicks wouldnt have done either.
What I had hoped was to use it for more IoT purposes with PC being primary hub, but unfortunately, a lot of the connected devices I see (at least on Amazon) dont provide public APIs to write programs (or look for them. I imagine there are at least a few IoT controller apps out there) to integrate with Cortana. Same issue with Siri and Apples being hellbent on HomeKit certification. I get the security aspect considering most devices are pretty lacking in it, but at the same time, Alexa and Google Assistant, for me, are eating their lunch by taking a "use at your own risk" approach.
By whlr on 01.18.19 2:34pm
Uhpretty sure the latest measuring contest had Alexa at 100,000,000 and Assistant at 1,000,000,000 devices largely propelled by its inclusion in smartphones so I would say that a mobile platform is at least somewhat relevant.
By shabanga on 01.18.19 11:13am
Im sure youre right to some extent, but I use Assistant through my phone and dont own any speakers yet. I just use it for navigation and for casting to my TV.
By Omen_20 on 01.22.19 3:12pm
I remember the hype when the name first surfaced. Sadly the Halo brand name couldnt carry the product enough. I mean, not that this wasnt obvious. But tech fanboys were amazed at the idea of "Cortana".
By Faquarl on 01.18.19 6:28am
Thats because the Halo brand waned first.
By 20131202account on 01.18.19 10:45am
Halo is still a strong brand, but not as strong as it was in the Halo 2 & 3 days
By Roptor on 01.18.19 11:42am
Most people I know who are not big Halo fans had no idea that Cortana was a Halo reference, they just seem to think that it was another corporately designed Siri-wannabe name from a Microsoft focus group. When I have explained the reference to people they seem to like the Cortana naming much more.
By Roptor on 01.18.19 11:44am
They didnt really jump on the branding either. Had it been an actual visual of Cortana popping up as a PiP on the Xbox and phones, I could see it grabbing those fans. Also, the Xbox One had that poor launch, so they lost out on their Alexa device moment.
Right now theyre running a promotion on Game Pass + Sling. A service ran by people that left Microsoft after they nixed their TV ideas.
By Omen_20 on 01.22.19 3:18pm
Actually in my opinion Cortana is actually better than Alexa and Siri in terms of knowing almost everything the only competitor Cortana has to deal with is Google Assistant I have done various tests asking them simple questions and Im surprised Alexa and Siri cant even answer simple questions unlike Google assistant and Cortana so I simply dont understand why Microsoft doesnt see it as a competitor they can make her smarter Microsoft really has a bad habit of giving up so easily and take a different approach that will have a much worse results they did the same thing with Kinect if they dont see it as profitable they will just throw it away and turn it into something else they dont even bother improving it thats the problem with Microsoft its not always about making profit its about satisfying your customers
By Eliezer Martinez on 01.18.19 6:40am
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By NothingUnknown on 01.18.19 7:08am
My lungs arent strong enough to read this. Not even my brain lungs.
By Don T's Info Know on 01.18.19 8:04am
Is this A single sentence?
By LooseSealLooseSeal on 01.18.19 8:40am
Given the lack of any punctuation, even at the end, Im guessing there is more to come so its not even a complete sentence!
By Cracky on 01.18.19 9:12am
Cortana was not powerful enough to help you utilize punctuation, it would appear.
By adamrnope on 01.18.19 9:03am
Should have used Google Assistant with the new punctuation update.
By Qukumatz on 01.18.19 9:12am